Assassin
by Chibiyu
Summary: Nothing is true. Everything is permitted. Assassin's Creed/JONAS crossover. Please read A/N inside for more details
1. Prologue: The Brotherhood

**Assassin**

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"Never take the life of an innocent  
Let the people mask you such that you become one with the crowd  
Your actions must never bring harm upon us - direct or indirect.  
Follow this, and you will be allowed to wear this garb and handle this blade.  
Follow those rules and you will become our brother.  
Follow those rules and become an Assassin.  
Above all: nothing is true...everything is permitted."

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The world is changing; the wind never stills, the waters always rush, nature is always renewed, and peace will always reign. In such a place, nothing would seem constant to those who do not bother to look further than the walls of their city-fortress. But peace is a fickle fool - it is a lie spread to keep children in bed at night or fathers from straying too far from the hearth. So far that lie has held strong for what has bothered to pull at its weakest link has been covered by more lies.

Who spreads these lies? The ones who carry the weapons - the ones who stand guard on rooftops and strut about the streets. The ones who terrorize the poor and the beautiful for their own gain. The ones called knights.

Lies. Such lies lay behind their titles. They claim to be chivalrous and to serve only God, but we known differently. They serve the one who can offer them the most. It is a vicious cycle that is doomed to reap the benefits of the crying citizens.

It has to end.

This world is full of corruption and deceit. It has been tainted by greed; spoiled by the shed of innocent blood. Bound by riches. Burned by misunderstanding.

God would have not wanted this. He would want it to end. To become the peace he intended it to be. And for that to happen, people must die.

We sin for the greater good. We kill for God himself. We purify this world even if it means damning our own soul.

We are the strong. We are the proud. We are the brotherhood.

We are the Assassins.

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**Chibiyu: ** I have a few things to note about this story. One, this is just some background information that previews a few things. The actual story starts in the next chapter. Note: this story (is supposed to) takes place 14th century.  
Two: no more author notes before the chapter.  
Three: This story is based off of the Assassin's Creed games and I do not own any of the characters, the Creed, or anything from the games. It is a fanfiction.  
Four: Yes, JONAS will be tied into it. I do not own anything from JONAS as well.  
Five: No, it will not be in the crossover section.  
Six: Enjoy the bloodshed and murder. I only hope I actually can find it in me to complete this story.


	2. A Ghost in the Light

**A Ghost in the Light  
**  
He wasn't even allowed one whimper as the thin leather came steadily down upon his back. Not one cry. Not one beg. He could only take it with eyes clenched closed and count.

_Seven. _

Not a whimper. Not a cry.

_Eight. _

A flinch, that is all that is allowed.

_Nine. _

Nearly there.

_Ten. _

Reprieve.

"Clean him up for his lesson. Perhaps this time he will behave."

Behave? It was hard to behave when the crime was never committed.

"Come on, get up!"

The child forced himself to his feet, eyes glued to the floor. He followed the soft steps of his mother into the kitchen and expertly hopped onto the wooden table, back exposed.

"Nicholas, dear," his mother sighed as she dipped the cloth into a bucket of water. "Why did your father order this?"

The child only shook his head, for he had no answer to give.

"Did you speak out? Interrupt your lesson?"

Another shake.

"Did your father find out about last night?"

"Probably," the boy responded in a cracked voice. "Why else would he choose ten lashes?"

The mother said no more as she pressed the rag to the already scarred back of the boy. "I won't tell you to stop," she sighed once more. "But I can't understand why you do it when you know of the consequences."

"Because Mother," Nicholas responded slowly. "I don't like the way father treats you. If he gets mad at me, then he won't have any anger left for you."

The red-haired beauty pulled back in surprise. "Nicholas! Such words for a ten year old!"

"It's true, mother."

The woman got back to her work with a nod. "I know it is, but that is the way things work. The women take their husbands anger in their stride. It is our job to make our husband happy and our family together." She pulled away again to apply the bandages. "It is not the job of a son to protect his mother."

"But to make sure the father has a proud heir," Nicholas dully finished. "He has Joe and Kevin for that."

"Yes, but he has _three _sons. Three heirs. And you'd best make him proud."

Nick hopped off of the table with an undignified snort. "If climbing the city's rooftops is ruining his pride for me, than lashing me is ruining my pride for him."

"Nicholas! Do not say such things about your father!"

The boy stared at his mom for a moment. "Why not? You always told me to speak the truth."

"Nicholas..."

"I know it is an honor to be _his _heir, but it isn't an honor to be his son." Nick looked at the bruise under his mother's eye before he spoke next. "Or his wife."

Sandy Lucas dropped her head. She waved her son off, unable to take his words for much longer. "Go, Nicholas. You have a lesson to attend with Joseph. Speak not of this; you'll poison this family."

Nick obeyed, but he said one last thing. "Father already has."

As he padded down the corridor regret piled inside his stomach until he was forced to turn an whisper an apology for his unjust anger. She did not deserve to have another men forcing his woes onto her. "I'll help you cut more bandages later," he promised the empty hall, but he know she heard him. She always heard him; she was always listening for him.

"And that, Joseph," came a deep voice from an open door not too far from Nick. The child quickly pressed his back to the wall and inched closer to the door. "Is why the Templar are our saviors. Why the Crusades are the only way to heal this land."

"Then why do you not have us fight to become a Templar?"

Nick dared to inch closer at this question.

"Because, son," the rumbling voice of their father sounded. "War is a time of prosperity for men like us. Without us, the army would be crippled and finished."

"But how do you even know that there will be another Crusade?"

A deep sigh was heard. "There are signs. Now off to your next lesson; I am done with these questions."

"Yes, father."

Nick bolted off into an empty room just as his older brother came into the hall.

"Off to my next lesson?" came the scoff of Joseph. "I'd rather learn to fight so I can join the Knight Templar! But father won't listen to me." The young boy ranted. He then took on a deep tone and puffed out his chest. "I need you, son, to be my heir. Kevin isn't fit to control the guards and Nicholas is a lost cause. I _need _you."

"I am a lost cause?" Nick piped up as he revealed himself. "That isn't a surprise."

Joe glared and crossed his arms. "Well maybe if you stopped going mad and sneaking out at night father would still love you!"

Nick stayed silent at this, thought many an insult was biting at his lips.

"Come on, " Joseph ordered his brother as he would a dog. "Our next lesson is starting."

Nick scoffed with defiant eyes, but he obeyed.

"Glad to see that you two are on time," their oldest brother chimed in as they met him in the white stone courtyard. "Today's lesson is on the Assassin's. And you both know what father says."

"Know your enemies better than you know yourself," Joseph chanted dutifully.

"But if you do not know yourself," Nick whispered under his breath. "How can you be sure you can best your enemy?"

"What was that, brother?" Kevin whipped around, suspicion in his frame.

"Nothing," Nick lied. "I just repeated what Joseph said so I may better remember it."

Kevin puffed out his chest proudly. "I am glad to see that you're finally taking this seriously. After all, the Assassin's are our greatest fear; they will kill us without anyone knowing. Or so they hope."

"They'll never get me!" Joe excitedly stated, hand on the empty sheath at his waist. "When I meet my first white-hood, I will slice his head off!"

"Overconfidence isn't a good trait, Joseph," came the deep voice of their instructor. "Assassins are skilled; more so than you are right now. They are but a blade in the crowd, while you are a cross in their castle."

"But sir..."

"No, Joseph. You are not ready. None of you are."

"Then teach us how to be!" Joe exclaimed.

"Patience, child. It is my duty to teach you of the Assassins, but how to kill one is not for me to teach. You have a sword master for that."

Joe pouted, but was silenced by this truth.

"Now children, the Assassins are the smartest enemy you will ever face, and the toughest one to best. They know many things, can become invisible at any time, and never hesitate to kill their target or anyone who gets in their way of the target."

"Their weapons," the instructor continued. "Consist of a sword, throwing knives and a short blade, their fists, and a hidden blade. Some carry bows, but not all. They are masters at all of these weapons and can switch between them with ease. But you know this already," their instructor trailed off. He fixed his turban, the thing which marked him as a Scholar, and turned to face the white stone wall of the courtyard.

"In a city such as Roma, they are everywhere. A civilian will never know who they truly are, but you three will. If you ever see a man doing what I am about to tell you, walk away. Do not draw attention to yourself. If you do, they will kill you."

"First, they will kill city guards without reason. If you see this slaughter, run. Second, they look as Scholars do when their heads are bowed and fingers laced – do not be fooled by this. Look for the red in their sash and for their hood instead of turban.

And third," their instructor stared long and hard at Nick before he moved on. "Thirdly, they climb the walls and leap across the rooftops as if they were the eagles their Creed mimics. If one of you are ever are where you should not be, you _will _see one of them. Stay near a guard if you do. Stay hidden."

"Yeah, Nick," Joe shoved Nick playfully, but the child only scowled. "Have you seen any of those bastards?"

The nine year old offered no answer.

"I bet he has; such foolery will only lead to trouble," Kevin said with crossed arms. "Our baby brother is probably too scared to admit that he has seen one of those devils."

"I've seen many," Nick finally spoke up. "But they've never seen me."

"And that is a good thing, Nicholas. You know of them and what they do and wear, but they know not of you. You are ahead of your brothers in this aspect."

Both older brothers looked away at this praise.

"Thank you, sir," Nick dutiful replied.

The instructor nodded before he continued. "We do not know much about this Creed, but we know enough to fear them. But we do know this; their new fortress lies in Monteriggioni."

"So why not invade?"

"Because, Joseph," their instructor sighed, "Their fortress is the Villa Auditore; 'a key force in the protection of Monteriggioni for hundreds of years and a source of great architectural innovation'.(1)'

"So they would see an invasion coming?" Kevin guessed.

"Yes. And they would be prepared for it long before their invaders knocked down their gates."

"And who is the one man who leads them?" Kevin again asked.

"They have many master's. We do not know the single individual, but we do know that he holds relation to the Auditore's."

"Weren't they all executed?" Kevin asked, always the scholar.

Their instructor nodded approvingly at him."Not all of them, but the main men of the Auditore's were wrongly framed and hung until dead."

"One of them escaped and took revenge, didn't he?" Nick remembered. "Ezio, wasn't it?"

The instructor shook his head. "Yes, the man did proclaim himself to be Ezio Auditore. But if he is still alive...this is not yet known. All of the Assassins look the same when their screened by their hoods."

"So when the Templars attacked the Villa at Monteriggioni, he wasn't killed?"

Their instructor shook his head grimly. "No. He lives, but his location is unknown."

"He'll want revenge, won't he?" Kevin asked, as if fearful.

Joe laughed once. "Father ordered that attacked. It was luck that the Assassins escaped. Father will get them next time."

The instructor glared at Joe before he sighed. "Such words will only bring danger. Watch your tongue, Joseph."

Joe scoffed, but followed the order begrudgingly.

"Now," the instructor cracked his knuckles. "Onto training!"

"I'll go first!" Joe proclaimed as he drew the sword at his hip. "Watch and learn, younger brother! You may learn something from my moves!"

However Nick's attention had long since drifted towards the sky. He followed the movements of a hawk that circled the spire on top of his father's mansion. His eyes narrowed at the glare of the sun, but he did not let that hinder him. Something was there, sitting high above on the ledge with a hawk's nest. A figure in blinding white.

Looking right at him.

"Nicholas!"

The child jumped and looked back towards his brothers and instructor.

"Grab your throwing knives, child. It is time to train, not to dream."

Nick nodded and risked another glance to the figure in white, only to find an empty roost.

He took his knives and took a breath to calm his nerves.

Nerves caused by the disappearance of the figure in white.

Because an Assassin seen is much less of a threat than one who has vanished. Especially when seen in the daylight.

**Chibiyu:**_I am using quotes and citing this. Sue me...ha, you can't! Sorry that it took forever and it is kind of bad. I've been super busy with college...and playing Assassin's Creed haha. Until Next Update! _

_(1) __Commemorative plaque for the Villa Auditore, 2012. __Found on Assassin's Creed Wiki_

_Italian names will be used. _

_Roma = Rome_


	3. Nothing is True

**Nothing is True  
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"Like he can beat me," Joe pompously stated, though his new bruise was hidden under his long hair.

"He may be young, Joe," Kevin whispered as they both watched Nick wait for his training to begin. "But he sees more than you do. Unfortunately, you have yet to master the art of not falling for a feint."

A rush of red flooded Joe's face. The middle brother coughed quietly and shuffled his feet before he spoke. "He is younger. He shouldn't know more than us."

"Maybe if you were not so keen on brute strength, then you would be able to further your skills."

Joe hid his face.

"I only tease, younger brother," Kevin laughed. "Swallow your pride - it's good for you."

"Boys!" their instructor called to silence them. The older two both looked to their feet. "Now that we have silence, Nicholas, allow me to explain this test."

Even before the man started to speak, Nick's eyes scanned the courtyard of their father's large villa. Targets were scattered around the square; some hung from the white stone columns, one was above his brothers' heads, one rested against the great wooden door behind his instructor, and the last one, the tenth target, was a mannequin in a white robe that crouched precariously on the edge of the roof.

"You're goal is to hit the center of the targets, and the neck of the Assassin."

"Why the neck?" Joe piped up. "Would the head and chest not also suffice?"

Their instructor slowly shook his head. "Assassins must not be allowed to live. We must make sure that our first strike is our last. The Assassins would do the same to you."

Their instructor clapped his hands, moved to the left, and nodded to the eight year old. "Start when you are rea..."

The dull thunk of metal burying itself in wood covered the man's last syllable.

The courtyard was silent as they watched the knife slowly stop bouncing and the mannequin fell from its perch.

"A perfect shot," their instructor breathed in near awe.

"Luck," Joe spat out, not too quietly.

Nick rolled his eyes before another one of his throwing knives imbedded itself in the target above his older brothers' heads. They both jumped and ducked, but there movements were too delayed to be anything but comical.

"Luck?" Nick called out as he pointed a tip towards Joe. "I call it practice."

With that, the young boy spun around and fired another weapon.

He had ten knives.

He had ten targets.

At the end of the session, he had nine targets with holes in the center, and one accidental impalement of a bird who happened to fly in front of his actual target.

For once, Nick held his tongue when he saw the shocked faces of his three audience. He just pulled his shirt blade out and pointed it at Joe.

The older took the challenge and drew his sword, despite the protests being elicited from Kevin and their instructor.

"Do you think you can win?" Joe asked as he readied himself.

Nick shrugged.

"So then why the challenge?"

Nick answered with a lunge forward.

Joe smirked and moved to knocked the short blade from his brother's hand, but suddenly Nick's weapon was not where it should have been. The mistake had been made. Nick's knife already was pressed to his brother's left shoulder.

"That doesn't count. Again!"

Nick obeyed this order and stepped back.

Joe was the one to initiate this fight with a powerful, but slow, swing. Nick jumped back, but did not bother to retaliate. Joe continued his assault, attacks varying from powerful to quick, to breaks and to feints, but nothing hit his brother.

"Attack me already!"

Nick shrugged once. "Only if you're ready for it."

Joe's eyes widened to an impossible size as he took the obvious bait. He lunged forward in a stab. Nick's eyes narrowed as he stepped closer to the attack. After all, the best advantage with a shorter sword is to get in close, not shy away.

Steel met steel. A knee met a stomach. A blade met a throat.

"You weren't ready," Nick smiled as he stepped away from his downed brother.

"I wasn't going all out!"

"No," Nick agreed. "You weren't. You're full power is seen when you are focused, not goaded."

"Assassins will taunt you, Joseph. Bait you. You have to learn to ignore it. You have to learn to play off your weaknesses in order to find your opponents," Kevin further explained.

Joe grumbled as he stood, head downcast.

"Do not be disheartened, child," their instructor smiled to the middle brother. "You were able to have a real fight with your brother. You showed me that you will not hesitate to use your skill against a loved one. This can be a good, but it can also be bad."

"Good," their instructor continued. "Because one of your brothers may be in the control of the Assassins to bait you. When this happens, you mustn't hesitate. Better a quick death by the hands of a brother than a slow one at the mercy of your enemy."

"And bad," the instructor finished. "Because you can hurt the ones you love."

"Nicholas," he turned to the younger boy. "You must learn this as well. Do not hesitate. Dodge only when needed; not to avoid the fight all together. You two can leave. Kevin and I have work to do. But, Nicholas?"

"Yes, sir?"

The man pointed to the targets attached higher up on the columns. "Retrieve those and your knives before you leave."

Nick nodded once with a smile. He didn't get to show off this skill too often; it was forbidden to do so in his household, against the law, and frowned upon by the citizens during the day. But at night, only the thieves were out and about. The thieves, and their invisible shadow known as Nicholas Lucas.

With the knowledge that all eyes were on him, Nick sprinted over to the wooden bench, jumped on it, and promptly ran three steps up the column. Even with the extra height of the bench, his fingers just barely managed to latch onto the lowest ornament of the white column. He pulled himself up with small exhale and was quickly situated on the roof.

The child ignored the glares from his brothers as he raced along the edge and retrieved his knives and tossed down the targets. Who were they to judge him? They feared these kinds of actions for the sole purpose that Assassins often utilized the roofs when the streets crawled with guards. But Nick saw it differently: it was a way to even the playing field. To spy on those who needed to be watched. To learn a different mean of escape. To see his enemy before they saw him - whether they be Assassin or not.

"Don't let father see you doing that," Kevin warned Nick after he climbed down.

Nick nodded once before he scampered off.

"Don't you worry about that talent of this?" Kevin lowly asked their instructor.

He nodded once. "Only because his father may label his as an Assassin apprentice."

"But what if he slips and can't catch himself before he hits the ground?"

The instructor shook his head. "Then his life will be in the hands of God. But have faith in his abilities; he practices this art far more than you know."

Kevin shook his head once. "It is amazing his back still has feeling," he breathed as he referred to the multiple whippings his brother has endured for this act.

"You sacrifice much for something you believe in."

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"Father?" Nick called as he slowly approached the wooden desk, head down.

"Yes, child? Make it quick," came a deep response.

Nick carefully looked into his father's face, but looked down immediately at the stern expression.

"Out with it, boy!"

"I saw an Assassin perched by the hawk's nest on the clock tower spire."

Silence followed this remark.

"He left right after I saw him."

"Was he looking at you?"

Nick shook his head. "I don't know. The sun was in my eyes."

"Did he have weapons?"

Nick shook his head. "No. There was nothing in his hands, at least."

"This is bad news, son. I must notify the guards. From now on, your lessons will be indoors until this problem is dealt with."

"Yes, sir."

"And Nicholas?"

The child looked up at this, only to look back down from the glint of fear in his father's eyes.

"Thank you for telling me. And for your own safety, please do not go out the next few nights. I do not want to find my son face down in an alley."

Nick nodded. "Yes, sir."

"You may go now. Do not tell your mother of this. I do not wish to worry her."

"Yes, sir."

But this was an order Nick was not willing to obey. The eight year old ran through the halls before he slid into the kitchen, were his mother was kindly tending to a slave with a burnt hand.

"Mother?" the child called, almost excitedly.

"One moment, Nicholas," she laughed as she finished bandaging the women's hand. "Alright, come to the balcony and tell me what you need to."

The child obeyed, almost bouncing from the news.

"I saw another one," he blurted out as soon as the curtains were shut. "An Assassin. I told father, but this is only one he knows about."

His mother only stared at Nicholas for a second before she shook her head. "How do you see them so easily?"

Nick shrugged once. "I just look."

"Nicholas, these Assassin's are not a good sign for this family."

The boy nodded once. "I know."

"They may kill us."

Nick looked out to the courtyard below them, but did not see Kevin's training. "But they won't. Will they?"

"No. Not, at least, in the method taught to you."

Nick nodded slowly. "They never kill an innocent. So we are safe, aren't we?"

His mother sighed tiredly. "They kill those who are guilty of crimes that this family has committed for generations. I do not know how they will judge us."

"But my dear child," his mother smiled as she kneeled to his eye height. "You must not be afraid of them, or of death. The Assassins are good men; their only fault is that they relentlessly fight against what our family fights for."

"What father, Kevin, and Joe fight for," Nick interrupted.

His mother gently placed her hand over his lips, though her dark eyes shined with amusement, not reprimand. "Why do you not wish to fight with your father and brothers? It is an honest cause that could help millions. "

Nick frowned has his mother's hand was removed. "It won't help millions. All they fight for is power. When our scholar took us through the Crusading period, many who were already Christian in faith were murdered and punished. It was not a war for the spread of religion, mother."

"I know it was not."

"So how can Joe and Kevin blindly follow father? People are getting hurt and dying because his actions!"

His mother sighed sadly. "And people get hurt and die because of the Assassins. Because of life."

"But..."

"No, Nicholas. You're father does what he believes in. As do the Assassins. And the time will come for you to choose what you believe in."

"I don't believe in this."

His mother cupped his cheek before she stood. "You're young. You have a lot more to learn before you decide that."

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**Chibiyu: **_Yup. Until Next Update!_


	4. A Leap of Faith

**A Leap of Faith**

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His father's orders were as lost as the sun, for Nick sprinted across the rooftops with a broad grin. The night was crisp, but clear. The wind was nonexistent; it's absence his trainer. It taught him how to be as silent as the night itself. It taught him to not disturb the sleeping heads he ran above.

He leapt over a gap and immediately turned right. His quick feet took him easily over a strung pair of ropes which had banners hanging below. The guards beneath him were none the wiser.

He slowed for only a moment to pull himself onto a higher portion of roof before he raced off again.

"Look at him go!" a thief laughed as Nick scampered by them. "Such skill!"

Nick looked back at them and flashed them a grin, but said nothing. His breath was better spent focused on his feet, not his mouth.

He leapt again, his arms outstretched and feet in front of him. His fingers latched onto the edge of the roof and the balls of his feet absorbed most of the shock as his body slammed into the side of the building. He pulled himself up with a small grunt and took a breath. To his left stood the proud Coliseum il Colosseo; it's walls were light with the dying glow of fires as the homeless took refuge in the tall structure. To his right stood the dome of the Cappella Sistina.

He took another breath before he ran forward for another few minutes. When he finally reached the Passetto di Borgo, he smiled to himself as he ran his fingers over the smooth border. This was the eight-hundred meter long elevated walkway, or wall to most civilians, that ran through the center of their beloved Roma. But to Nick, it was his ticket to freedom.

During the day, his shadow was a small army of his father's guards, and during the night, they wouldn't even think of letting him through. At least, they wouldn't think of it when he was on the ground.

He glanced up the wall before he slinked alongside it to avoid the gaze of archers. When he met the ladder to reach the top, he slowly and silently scaled it. At the top, he peeked over and ducked down for another second. He only had one shot at this. If he was caught again...

A shudder ran down Nick's still smarting spine.

But this time he wouldn't get caught. He learned the archers' movements. He learned when to run. And this time, he wouldn't hesitate with the jump.

If Assassins could do it, so could he.

"Lucas told us to be vigilant tonight," an archer called to his companion, who stood maybe fifty feet away. "Apparently his kid saw an Assassin at their mansion."

"Which kid?"

The archer nearest to Nick shrugged. "The youngest one."

The farther archer chuckled. "Can he trust that boy's word? After all, the kid acts like an Assassin every night."

"But he still knows who the enemy is."

"Sometimes I wonder," the farther archer stated.

Nick jumped over the edge of the wall as both turned their back and raced across the walkway. When his feet met the edge, he hesitated for another second more before he threw himself off.

_The kid acts like an Assassin. _

If he acted like one, Nick thought as his stomach jumped to his throat, then why wouldn't this work?

In mid air, he flipped over so his legs were out in front of him and he was in a sitting position. Just as he had seen many Assassins do.

He closed his eyes as the large pile of hay on the roof below grew closer at an alarming rate, but all that did was make him hyperaware of his hammering heart and silent screams. His only thought questioned why he dove off of the walkway.

He felt the hay move away from him as it tried to cushion his fall. He felt himself slowly dramatically on the itchy pillow. And when he did finally hit the roof, it was nothing more than a tap to his behind.

Nick could have jumped out of the pile and laughed until the guards found him in near hysterics. He could have expressed his joy of this actually working with a whoop. But instead, he just sat, completely covered by the hay, and stared in near shock. He just couldn't believe that this actually worked. Couldn't believe that he was somehow still alive.

Surely, he though as he carefully pulled himself from the pile and brushed off his clothes, it had to be a fluke. He _had _to try it again, from a smaller distance. He had to know for sure.

After all, this could be very useful indeed.

His legs were too shaky to run, so he continued on slowly as he searched for another jump. And one came too soon.

He stood over the ledge, wanting to throw himself over to test the leap, but having too much common sense to do so.

He did it once already. So why was it so hard to do it again? And this jump wouldn't kill him. Hurt him, certainly, but he would have to be very unlucky for it to do more than that.

The sudden sound of footsteps had him instantly crouched low. His eyes scanned the horizon, but he found nothing. No white amidst the black landscape. No movement at all. Still the footsteps approached.

Nick's heart began to pound. He felt cold sweat trickle down his neck. He felt his limbs shake as new adrenaline began to course through them.

His fingers gripped the end of one of his throwing knives.

He slowly stood and turned to face the empty rooftops behind him as he pulled a knife from the strap over his shoulder.

"Aren't you too young to be messing with things such as those?" called a light voice of a man.

Nick slowly turned and stared at the man in hopes that the shake of his hand wouldn't be seen. The Assassin stood on the rooftop across a gap that Nick would never attempt to jump.

"Why are you even up here? What if the guards see you?" again the Assassin tried to make the kid talk, but all he received was a wide-eyed stare. At this, the man put his hands in the air, a gesture of peace. The kid blinked once and slowly lowered his arm, but did not loosen his grip on the weapon.

"Who are you?" the young man called.

Nick kept his silence, thoughts only on killing this man. One throw, that would be all it took.

"I've seen you before, haven't I?" the Assassin mused as he scratched his smooth chin. "You're that one boy who follows the thieves at night."

Again, Nick offered no acknowledgement as he took a step back from the ledge. "You race them. And you're daring about it too."

Nick took another step back before he finally turned and bolted down the sloped roof. His arm never once raised to throw the knife.

He heard the Assassin laugh at his actions, but he did not care. He jumped across a gap and latched onto a window below the rooftop before he swiftly climbed down. He felt the Assassin's eyes as he ducked into an alley and slid under a fence.

He kneeled in the shadows, fingers grasping at a hidden latch. He was quick to pull it and slid into the manhole as the lock was undone. When he reached the bottom of the tunnel, he did not stop. Even in the complete darkness, he ran. His fingers traced the crumbled wall, telling him of turns and slopes, and his ears strained but he heard nothing other than the occasional slosh of a puddle underfoot.

He only stopped when his fingers met the notches that signified an exit above.

For a moment, all he could register was the pounding of his heart and the harshness of his breath as he panted. His lungs hurt, his hands shook, and his head spun.

An Assassin saw him. Has seen him. They knew of his actions at night. But if they knew, they why wasn't he dead? He was an easy target for them because they could sometimes evade his sights, just as he could sometimes evade theirs. He had to be more careful. More cunning. More stealthy.

More like them.

He raised his head towards the faint light that came from above.

Joe and Kevin were easier targets than he was. If they ever came face to face with an Assassin, they would be killed. They wouldn't know how to get away or how to hide from them. They wouldn't know the tunnels that the thieves used. But then again, they didn't put themselves into the situations where they needed to know this stuff. They didn't put themselves in situations where they had to survive.

And Nick just ran away from one.

He could have killed that man. Could have put his knife right through the man's neck. Could have regained his father's pride and love.

But he didn't.

The Assassin was just a man. A young one too, by the sound of his voice. And Nick, who was still very young himself, could not find a reason to do as he had always been taught.

He knew he should have felt like a failure. But he did not. He discovered that the Assassin wasn't after him. He discovered that he was being watched. And he took a leap and lived. He had faith in the Assassins and their skills did not lead him astray. He had faith that the one would not kill him, and Nick stood in the dark tunnel, alive. The entire night was a leap for him; a leap of faith.

And there was still more faith in this night to discover.

He smiled to himself and began to climb up, now that his heart had settled. He pulled on the latch at the top of the crevices that served as his ladder and heard the click of the lock coming undone. He climbed back out to the streets of Roma and closed the manhole tight. The sound of the lock clicking again was lost to a scream.

"ASSASSINO!"

Nick backed and ducked into the shadows as guards ran passed him, following a man in white who leapt across the rooftops.

"Get down, now!" an archer's last words were heard before his still moving body landed right next to Nick.

"The idiot fell!" grunted a guard before he looked away from his fallen companion. "Only God can help him now."

Nick jumped, knowing the dying guard still had enough sense to alert the others of his presence, but unfortunately, the way he could go to get away was by going up.

So he climbed and made it to the top just as the Assassin jumped to the streets below.

"Get on his blind side!" the guard caption ordered as they surrounded the man.

"Please, gentleman," the Assassin almost laughed as he drew his sword. "This is almost unfair to you."

One charged the man, only to meet the end of his blade from a perfect counter.

"Is this necessary?" the Assassin tried again as he spread his arms. "I have committed no crimes."

The police chief snorted as he stepped forward. "No crime? Your kind have been committing crimes for centuries."

"So you punish me for the crimes of my people?"

The police chief rolled his eyes before he raised his sword as a challenge. "No. We are going to kill you because of the robes you wear. Because of the title you chose to bear."

The Assassin sighed, but he readied his sword all the same. "Very well them. You and your men will be my first crime of the night."

So many thoughts ran through Nick's head as he watched the fight, but there was only one that came back time and time again: if the Assassin was the bad guy, then why were the guards the one who started this fight? The Assassin did nothing previously. Nothing to Nick. Nothing to them. He just made a mistake of being seen.

Being seen isn't a crime. Killing, yes, but do they have proof that this man killed? Even though he is an Assassin, that doesn't mean anything. Nick knew this. He has seen Assassins who prefer to spy and learn than to sneak and kill. He has seen them all around the city. Watched as many were given the opening to kill a target, but let them run free.

What if this man was like those Assassins? What if he only killed to protect himself, as is the human way?

What if he wasn't a bad guy? At least, not in this situation.

And if he was? If he killed all of the guards down there and then came for Nick? Or his family?

Nick pulled out his knife again and held it tightly as he continued to watch.

The Assassin was skillful. He fought in a way that moved in a better position to flee if the need arose. He did not kill. He dodged, he hit, and he stunned, but he drew no more blood. It was as if the man was trying to send a message to the guards.

But the guards were blind to it. They charged him, one, two, three at a time, but never all together. They tried to catch him off-guard, and some did managed to hit him. But like the Assassin, they drew no blood.

"Is that all you can do?" the Assassin taunted as he pushed the guard leader away from him.

The guard leader did not respond verbally, but he did raise his fist into the air.

Nick's breath got caught in his throat as nine archers rose from the shadows and aimed at the man.

"Any last words, Assassin?"

The man did not lower his sword. "I will not permit myself to die."

"You have no choice. FI...!"

An archer fell from his roost, dead.

"What happened!?" the guard leader demanded as he pointed his sword to the Assassin's neck. "What did you do?"

Two more archers dropped.

"There's a knife in their necks!" one official screamed as he inspected the body. "Another Assassin, no doubt!"

"Find him, and bring me his head!"

Nick was quick to pounce over a gap on the buildings and climb. the guards may be fast, but they didn't know how to climb like Nick did. So he scaled the tower as quickly as he could, keeping to the shadowed side so his black tunic would blend. Just as he pulled himself onto the roost of birds, the guards finally reached the base of the tower.

Nick held his breath as he crouched on the wooden roost and stared as the guards circled the perimeter.

"No one is here, sir!"

The leader huffed. "Then one head will be enough." He leapt towards the Assassin and thrust his sword.

The hit never landed, but blood was drawn and a stomach was ripped to shreds.

At the sight of their leader's dead body, the other guards fled with pleas for mercy.

The Assassin waited until their screams faded into the ringing silence of the night before he looked up to Nick.

"You'll want to retrieve these. Keep the blame on my people, not yourself," he yelled

Did Nick dare to climb down?

"If not, then they will catch you."

He had to.

Nick started the descent when the Assassin spoke again.

"It's faster to jump. It doesn't hurt."

Jump? Nick peered over the edge and hastily retreated at the sight of the stacked hay. But he stood on sure feet and walked to the edge; he would not seem weak in front of an Assassin.

He had seen them do this exact thing multiple times. He saw them walk from the hay, unharmed. He saw the way they mastered the earth.

And he must do the same.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

At the cry of a nearby hawk, he took the ultimate leap of faith.

His arms were spread and eyes now open. Doing as he had done before, he flipped so his legs were outstretched in front of him.

He only felt fear as the hay came to meet him, and only wanted to let out a long, high-pitched laugh when the landed safely.

It wasn't a fluke that he survived. It was madness. Insanity. Impossible.

And yet, he did it.

He pulled himself from the hay and looked to the man in white with what he hoped to be an indifferent expression.

"Bene," the Assassin nodded to the young boy. "Only those who watch can learn." The Assassin lowered his head so his eyes were completely covered by his hood. "Tell me this, boy, why did you intervene?"

Nick slowly walked over to one of the archers and pulled his knife from the corpse's throat. He inspected the deep crimson with a hardened pit in his stomach, but he did not regret this.

"You know what I am, do you not? You know that you saved the life of a murderer?"

Nick wiped the blood off on the corpses tunic before he stood straight. "I did this because it wasn't you who wanted the spread death."

The child said no more as he retrieved his other two knives. When he turned, he met the inquisitive gaze of the young man.

"You are an interesting child."

Nick smiled at this before he turned his back to the man without a reply. The night was almost over. He had time to get back, time to get an hour or two of rest. Time to hide his nerves and prepare himself for tomorrow's turmoil. He, however, did not have time to waste speaking with this Assassin.

He was already lucky enough that the man didn't know his name, his heritage.

But Nick had turned his back on his heritage by killing the three archers to save a life. Templars killed Assassins, no matter what. And Nick had just killed those ordered by a Templar. In order to save an Assassin.

No one must know of this. If they ever were to find out...

Nick shuddered violently as his back began to sear with pain.

If they ever found out, it would be a fate worse than death.

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**Chibiyu: **_I kind of like the random Italian thrown into this story. It reflects the game more and more. And no, that Assassin was not Ezio. Until Next Update!_

_Roma = Rome  
Colloseeo = Coliseum  
Cappella Sistina = Sistine Chapel  
Assassino = Assassin. Will only be used when referred to by guards.  
Bene = well-done/good_


	5. Through the Eyes of a Follower

**_Through the Eyes of a Follower_**

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"Didn't father tell you not to go out tonight?"

Nick jumped violently and lost his footing, for he had only just swung back into his bedroom from the open window.

"It amazes me how you can come back without a scratch," Joe joked, but the disapproval still weighed heavily on his brow. "When I was ten, I was learning to throw knives and ride horses, not act like a thief."

"I do not steal, so therefore I am not a thief."

"Then an Assassin."

Nick shook his head once. "I follow the orders of a Templar."

Joe frowned at this. "At least you know who is the better man to follow."

Nick did not reply. Instead, he just stood and calmly closed his window.

"Why do you go out?"

Nick shrugged. Why? Because it felt like freedom. There were no limits to where he could go, what he could find, the people he would meet, and the experience he would gain. The night was a better tutor than any of his instructors; than all of his instructors combined.

"There was an Assassin here, today! And yet you still dare to leave the safety of this house?"

Nick finally turned and sighed. "How is it safe when you only know one way out of it?"

Joe blinked at this.

"I go out to learn the city. To learn how our enemies move so that I can move with them. So that I can get away from them."

"And not kill them?"

Nick shrugged. "Sometimes running gives you a better chance at living."

"You're not confident enough to kill."

Nick did not respond to this biting statement. Joe needn't know how wrong he was.

"That is why I will always be better than you, Nicholas," Joe harshly whispered as he puffed out his chest. "I won't hesitate to kill the Assassins to save this family. And you," he poked his brother on the chest with enough force to leave a bruise. "You just run away."

"I run so our family will not all die before the name has had its chance to live."

"You're a coward."

Nick shook his head once. "No. Just smarter than you."

At these calm words, Joe's nostrils flared, but it was Nick who spoke next.

"I can teach you, if you want."

Joe stared at his brother with bewilderment.

"You may find new ways to catch an Assassin off guard so you can kill him."

Joe's eyes narrowed. "Are you being serious?"

Nick nodded. "I can teach you. But not tonight. On my way back, I heard guards yelling about deaths. Assassins are out tonight, Joe. It would be a bad night for a beginner to be out as well."

Joe slowly nodded. "Alright. Tomorrow then."

Nick smiled tiredly. "But before you leave," he called as Joe put one foot out into the hallway. "Don't tell father."

Joe laughed to himself. "Of course not. _I _don't want to be whipped."

Joe barely heard Nick's disdained groan before he slipped away. The middle brother dodged a guard by ducking into the shadow of a statue of his ancestor. When the coast was clear, Joe ran back to his own room.

His immediate act was to go to his window and open the wooden shutters. He stared, rather fearfully, at the drop. Below him stood a wagon filled with leaves, and above him was the hawk's roost. Neither of which made the butterflies in his stomach disperse.

"How does he do it?" Joe mused as he withdrew his head. "How does he get over the fear of falling? He could kill himself!"

Joe shook his head as he closed the shutters. "I must be insane to have agreed to his offer. Climbing the walls and running on the roofs? Me?"

Joe shook his head. "But it does give me an advantage. The Assassins won't expect a Templar who can keep up with them."

He shuddered once as he thought again towards the drop. "But still..."

"Second thoughts?"

It was Joe's turn to jump and fall on the floor.

Nick poked his head in through Joe's window with a smirk. "If you made it back to your room without being noticed, then you can climb the roofs without getting caught by archers. It is the same concept."

"Shouldn't you be in bed?"

Nick snickered before he pulled his head back outside. "I'm only checking that you made it back."

"Well be careful!"

Nick glanced back in the room, eyebrows raised. "I'm not going to fall, Joe. Besides, _you _should be careful and not over think this. You'll have to learn this skill eventually."

Joe shrugged as he closed his window. "I know that," he scoffed before he collapsed onto his bed. "_I _just don't want to fall."

The morning came too quickly for Joe's taste. The exhaustion from having waited up for his younger brother made his limbs ache and eyes droop and it did not improve his mood to see Nick with bright eyes and a smile on his face.

"Joseph. In my office."

The boy jumped at the deep-voiced summons. But he scuttled through his surprise to obediently follow. He had a moment to glance to Nick, who put his fingers to his lips. Joe nodded once before the wall blocked his view.

"Son," his father sighed deeply. "My men were killed last night by a group of Assassins. They chased one down, but it had been a trap."

Joe blanched at these words for he recalled Nick's warnings from the night before. "Why are you telling me this, father?"

The men stared at his son. "Because I know of your interest in the guards movements and of fighting the Assassins. I know you want to be out there in the war. And I am granting you that wish."

"What?"

His father nodded. "You will shadow my finest men as they patrol the streets and when you are older, you will be allowed outside the city and into the heart of this war. I need a man like you out there, son. You are a fierce fighter; someone who can give the Assassins something to fear."

"But, father..." Joe started, unsure as to his protest.

"I know you are honored, son. You need not say it. Your lessons will still continue, but on the streets instead of in the courtyard. You will do me proud."

"Yes sir," Joe mumbled.

"Good. You are to meet your new instructor at the stables. Now leave me."

He did as told, limbs shaking from an emotion he did not expect. His father's men were murdered last night and the solution was to put in him to replace them?

"What did father want?" Nick asked as Joe reentered the kitchen.

Joe slowly dropped into his chair. "He gave me what I wanted."

Kevin took that moment to enter the room with a boisterous smile. "Father made me in charge of the estate when I get older!"

He was met with two stares.

"Father is letting Joseph become a knight," Nick supplied when Joe remained silent.

"Really?" Kevin smiled. "Congratulations, brother!" He slapped Joe on the back before he turned to Nicholas. "And what of you?"

Nick only shrugged. "I am too young for such honors."

Kevin scoffed. "I do not believe that. You are too wild for such honors. Too immature. By your age, father was proud of both Joe and I and we knew we would do him well. He must lack that pride in you."

Nick again only shrugged, unwillingly to let the bite of this statement show.

"Shut up, Kevin. Nicholas knows more than you think he does."

The brothers started at Joe's words, but Kevin's shock did not last.

"His kind of knowledge amounts to nothing when it comes to this war."

Nick looked over to Kevin and shook his head, but offered no explanation. To him, Kevin could never be convinced. He was too involved with Father to ever see his side.

So the youngest stood from the table and walked away, saying something about wanting to check on the horses.

"I'll come too," Joe called as he remembered his father's order.

Nick waited as Joe padded down after him. "Why did you defend me?" he asked without any emotion.

Joe shrugged. "Because Kevin should know that killing an Assassin doesn't always have to happen on the ground."

Nick's sudden stop had Joe crashing into him. "This isn't only about murder, Joe," he hissed. "This is about survival."

Joe shook his head, but did not bother to continue the argument. Instead, he took the lead and continued his trek down to the stable.

The silence stretched on even as the clap of hooves and neighs began to be known when the two boys emerged onto the large road. Guards immediately flanked them and escorted them the short walk to the horses.

The two boys split off, Nick going to a black pony with a white diamond on its head and white just above its hooves while Joe met with the lone Templar in the corner.

"Joseph," the man greeted in a heavily accented voice. "I come from afar to train you. Today, you shall be my shadow. Do as I do. But you must follow my orders as well. I must keep you alive so that one day you can take my place. Is this all understood?"

Joe nodded once, eyes only on the blood stained hilt of this man's sword.

"You like?" he laughed as he took his hand away from the hilt. "This blade has made many Assassins meet the Devil."

Joe cleared his throat nervously. "Will I need my sword?"

The Templar nodded once. "For precautions. We already prepared it. It is on your horses saddle."

Joe nodded and walked to his dark brown Andalusian. He quickly put his sword at his waist and mounted his horse. The Templar nodded to him once.

"Follow me closely," he called as he mounted his own white steed. "We are going to the far wall."

Joe nodded as he nudged his horse forward. He hoped the jostling of his steed's trot would be enough to cover the shaking of his hands.

"I have so many stories, young Joseph. So much experience. It is not wonder your father asked me to come and train you."

"Stories?" Joe called, uncertain if he wanted to hear this man's murders.

The Templar laughed. "Don't sound so nervous, boy! You need to know what to expect in order to slay your first Assassin!"

"I'm not nervous!" Joe contradicted hastily. "Just spare me the details of their entrails. I am here to learn _how _to make the kill, not what happens after it."

The Templar growled at this and the sound echoed oddly in his metal helmet. "Watch your tongue, boy."

Joe bowed his head in apology.

"Good to see you have some spunk in you though. Your older brother is too much of a scholar to be much help in the field."

Joe smiled to himself, but did not speak yet.

"And that other brother of yours has too much. He wouldn't do well listening to our strict orders."

Joe openly laughed at this; it all was too true.

"But you, boy, are perfect Templar material! You remind me of my first Master, actually. And if you turn out half as good as he was, then you'll be looping off your first Assassin head before the year is finished."

Joe turned a deaf ear to the man as he started to recount his Master's first kill. Instead, he turned his sights to the rooftops, or more specifically, the thieves who gambled in the morning sun. They had placed their game right against a taller wall, but not for the shade. An archer lurked close by, but thanks to the elevation difference, they remained unnoticed.

"Are you listening to me, boy?"

Joe perked up and nodded instantly. "Yes sir! Your Master sounds like an excellent fighter."

His choice of words proved correct. "Yes," the Templar sighed. "He knocked the weapon right out of the white-hood's hands. A perfect counter."

Joe sighed as the man kept talking, even as they reached the far wall. It was clear that today would be nothing more than a day filled with stories.

However even this was better than what was planned when the night fell.

But fall the night did, and sooner than Joe would have preferred.

The air had cooled much and his legs were stiff from a day of riding. His head pounded from his exposure to the sun and the attention he had to give his new Master's stories. His knees nearly gave out on him when he dismounted from his tired steed, but he managed to stay standing thanks to his grip on the saddle.

"Long day, honey?"

Joe turned and smiled to the speaker.

"But fulfilling," he heartedly lied as his mother walked over to him. "My new Master is wise."

The woman nodded and smiled, but her eyes remained troubles. "Your father chose the best for you. He will keep you safe. And he will teach you how to stay safe."

Joe nodded before he passed his mother and began the short walk home. As usual, a small army followed him out.

"Why are you down in the stables, mother?" Joe questioned with genuine curiosity.

His mother glanced at him once, still worried.. "To make sure you returned home."

"And?"

She sighed deeply. "You know me too well, child," she laughed. "Nicholas is not well. He came back from the stables only minutes after you left and complained of head pains."

Joe stopped, surprised. Rarely did his brother ever complain about pain. "Is he alright?"

His mother shrugged. "I don't know. He passed out on the way to his room. He is awake now and claims that his head doesn't hurt, but you know him as well as I do."

Joe nodded once as he began to walk again. "Do you want me to talk to him?"

"No," his mother shook her head. "I want you to leave him be for tonight. If you hear him trying to sneak out, stop him. That is an order."

Joe only laughed at this. "I would have tried to anyway, mother."

She smiled once, the worry wrinkles around her eyes fading slightly. "I know, Joseph. I know." They entered their home silently and Joe was gently pushed up the stairs. "Now, to bed. I've sent some food to your room, if you're hungry."

"Starving," Joe sarcastically stated. His stomach still churned from the horrid stories of the Templar.

His mother chuckled lightly before she turned into the kitchen.

Joe walked to his room, changed, bathed, and settled onto his bed. He stared at the apple on his nightstand, seriously contemplating if he could and should eat it, when three thumps sounded on his closed window.

He sighed heavily as he strutted across the room and opened it. He frowned when he saw Nick perched on a roof opposite of his window with rocks in his hands.

"Still want to learn?" Nick called, amusement in his voice at Joe's face.

"Not when you're sick."

Nick simply waved him off. "I feel fine now," he called in a loud whisper. "Now come out here!"

Joe shook his head. "Not going to happen."

Nick smirked. "Scared?"

"Hardly."

"Then come on!"

Joe scowled and crossed his arms. "No, Nicholas! Now get back to bed before you hurt yourself!"

Nick put his fingers to his chin as he pretended to think about this. "No thanks," he finally answered as he stood. "Either you come and make sure I don't hurt myself, or you stay in bed worrying. Your choice."

Joe could only stare in shock.

"You have five seconds before I run off," Nick said, dead serious as he held up his fingers.

"Fine!" Joe exclaimed before Nick even got to three. "Just," he paused as he looked down. "Just tell me how to get down!"

Nick smiled. "Just climb on your window frame and jump over here!" he told Joe as if it were the easiest thing in the world.

When Joe did nothing, Nick continued. "There are three things you have to keep in mind when you're new at free running. Don't ever look down. Trust yourself. And don't hesitate."

Joe continued to stare at Nick.

"You already did all of them wrong," Nick stated as he kicked at the roof. "Come on, Joe, I'm not out to kill you."

But Joe still didn't move.

Nick rolled his eyes and was about to turn and walk away when he suddenly grabbed at his head. Joe's eyes bulged when he clearly heard the loud gasp of pain. He wasted no time and pushed himself onto his window ledge and leapt. He landed loudly, but safely.

And then Nick laughed.

"I knew that would get you to jump!" he exclaimed, though his eyes watered and his voice was strained.

Joe pursed his lips, heart still pounding madly. "You didn't plan that!" he angrily exclaimed. "You're getting to bed, now!"

Nick pulled himself from Joe's grasp with another breathless laugh. "You'll have to catch me first."

"Nick," Joe called when Nick ducked under his arms again. "This isn't a game!"

Nick looked over his shoulder with that annoying smirk, but he said nothing. He only turned and leapt to another rooftop.

Joe pursed his lips, but he knew he had no other option than to follow his younger brother. "You're such a stronzo!"

Nick's laugh was lost to the wind, but Joe did catch one word: "Grazie!"

"Chiddu arrusti u so pesci nte ciammi di l'incediu," Joe hissed as he slowly neared the gap.

"Trust yourself and don't look down," Nick reminded just as Joe was about to peer over the edge.

"I know," Joe said, annoyed.

Nick crossed his arms. "Then jump. Or I run off and leave you to get back to your room."

Joe held back profanities as he took a few steps back for a running leap. He made it with ease, but Nick's cocky smirk did nothing to help his success.

"See? It's easy. Now, keeping up..."

Nick sped off without another word. Joe didn't have time to think about anything but his foot placement as he tried to keep pace with his brother. He didn't have time to think about anything until Nick did something seemingly impossible.

Joe skid to a stop when his brother, who was a good six meters ahead of him, raced across two strung ropes with banners hanging below.

"No way!" Joe yelled as he slowly neared the obstacle.

Nick slowed to a stop and turned. "Come on!"

"How did you do that?!"

Nick rolled his eyes. "I ran."

Joe groaned as he turned away, hands lost in his hair. "I must have been insane to agree to this."

"It's all about balance!" Nick called.

Joe threw his hands up in the air at this. "That's why I know I can't do it!"

Nick chuckled, but did not back down. "Come on, Joe. Don't be shown up by a ten year old!"

Joe shook his head and began to slowly walk home. "Tell me how to get back in my room."

Nick's shoulder's fell at this. "Just jump onto the wall below it and climb up. It's easy." With that said, the young boy had raced off, not even bothering to glance behind him.

"Nick!" Joe called, but his brothers form had already been swallowed by the night. "Crap." He retraced his steps, his only guide being the light coming from his open window. He reached the spot where he jumped from his room and eyed the stone wall with anxiety.

"I should have risked the balancing act."

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**Chibiyu: **_I've had a productive week. I got a job, finished my Twitter theme drawings (AC) and wrote all this. Yay. Did you enjoy Joe's chapter? Kevin's in next. Until Next Update!_

_Stronzo: a turd, asshole, __bitch, sod. It is used as adjective to indicate that somebody is really a bad, cruel, man/woman._

_Grazie: thank you. _

_Chiddu arrusti u so pesci nte ciammi di l'incediu: Someone who takes advantage of the misfortunes of others (lit. The fellow roasts his fish in the flames of a fire.)_

_6 meters = about 20 feet._


	6. Templar Blood

**_Templar Blood_**

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"Although Joe is being trained to be a Knight, you, Kevin, are even more important."

Kevin stood tall as his father eyes him from behind his desk. The oldest brother did not drop his gaze when he saw the chill in his father's knowing stare.

"It is your responsibility to lead the leaders, to fund the war and to rally our allies. You make sure the Assassins do not advance because you are the voice our Templars follow. Is that understood?"

Kevin nodded once. "Si, father. If I fail, they fail."

His father nodded once, hard eyes not showing any approval. "Do you really understand? Every death that happens in this city will be on your shoulders. The mistakes will not be of the guard, but of you. And the death of every Assassin must be your purpose in life."

Kevin did not back down from this daunting news. "I know, father. You have taught me this well."

"I have tried to," his father conceded with a curt nod. "But until this point, I have not had the reason to test you."

"Test me?"

The man nodded again. "Yes. I want you to learn Assassin roots in this city. I want you memorize every known name, lineage and rank of the hooded murderers."

"Understood, father."

"Good. You'll find them in your mother's nightstand. She too has been studying her fears. Off you go."

The fifteen year old bowed lowly to his father before he gracefully took his leave. But once the great oak door was shut behind him, he raced off in search of the books.

"In a hurry, Kevin?" came an amused titter.

Kevin skid to a stop and crossed his arms. "Where are you, Nicholas?"

As an answer, Nick dropped from the ceiling beam that he had been perched on. HIs landing, though muted due to the rug, startle Kevin greatly.

"A fall like that could hurt you!"

Nick shrugged, amusement still in his eyes. "Not if you know how to land."

"You need to stop doing things like this, Nicholas!" Kevin yelled. "You're a Templar, not an Assassin! Templar's don't do this kind of stuff!"

Nick looked Kevin straight in the eye. "Maybe that's why the Assassins manage to kill so many of us."

"What are you talking about?"

Nick rolled his eyes. "They know how we move, but we don't know how they move. Well, you don't." With that, Nick turned and walked away. "Templar knowledge will only get you halfway, Kevin. Keep that in mind."

Kevin's eyes narrowed before he stepped into his parents room. "That kid," he muttered angrily. "It's all just a game to him."

Kevin pulled open the nightstand and grabbed the old book. "But with this book, I will be able to make sure he realizes the consequences of his actions. I will find an Assassin and have him killed. With my brothers watching. _That _should teach young Nicholas how to properly behave."

As Kevin opened the book, the spine cracked and numerous pages dropped to the floor. The boy sighed as he knelt down to pick them back up.

"Wait a minute," he breathed as he put one page to the sunlight. "Something is erased. A name?"

"My brother," came a soft voice that made Kevin jump. "He was a little sick in the head. An embarrassment to my family and now yours. Your father and I made the decision to erase his name when he passed."

Kevin looked at this mother with curiosity.

"Would you like to hear about your Uncle Giovanni?"

The two were so immersed in the story of their mother's past to notice a small head of curls peeking in the doorway. His ears were deaf to his mother's words as he strained to see the page Kevin still held in the light.

Pain again flashed behind his eyes, but he did not fear it. His vision flashed, as he knew it would, and the scene around him changed briefly.

He ducked out of the room before he was discovered, his mind whirling and eyes watering.

"This," Nick breathed as he closed the door to his father's private library. "This,' he repeated as he reached behind a large painting and pulled a hidden lever. "Is incredibile!" The boy jumped as a bookcase slid to the side to reveal an opening. "Incredibile!"he repeated as he rushed through the opening.

"I knew this family was built upon secrets," Nick laughed to himself as he walked down the pitch black hall that had turned into a steep decline. "But this," he laughed again as his feet found a long beam that stretched over a gap. "Is incredibile."

The boy stopped as the beam ended, his eyes scanning the beams that should have been impossible to see. "So all I do is...?"

He leapt and easily reached the makeshift ladder. Just like during his nightly runs, but the balls of his feet took most of the shock of slamming into the rock wall. He scaled the short distance and pulled himself into a new corridor.

"What is this place?" his voice echoed around the large chamber. He walked forward and circled the solitary table in center. The only thing of interest was the melted candle, its wick covered in dust. "And what..." his finger traced a carving on the table.

Nicks' mouth dropped and he took a step back. "No." he turned quickly and walked to the far most corner of the room, following the steps of the murdered man. He slowly touched the old stone wall, the stain lighting the room with vicious macabre.

"Mio Dio."

The young boy fell to his knees in front of what should have been swallowed by the darkness.

" This family is built upon secrets."

**{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}**

Kevin smiled at his mom when she gently took the page from his hands.

"Yes, a decision made for the better," the boy remarked with amusements. "Someone like him would have definitely dishonored this family."

"Yes, but he died before he had the chance," his mother agreed, though her tone was sad. "I took care of him during his last years. He may have been a mistake, but he was still my brother."

Kevin resisted to roll his eyes. "Is this a lesson to be turned with my relationship with Nicholas?"

His mother laughed. "Nothing slips past you, Bambino mio."

"But you have the luxury of being older than Nicholas," she told him. "I was many years younger than your uncle. Not even a women."

"Didn't you have another brother?" Kevin asked as he looked at the family tree.

This mother nodded. "He doesn't matter either. He was murdered by the Assassins a few years before Giovanni's death. I never really knew him."

"His name?"

The woman shrugged once. "I was just a babe when he was killed. I don't remember it."

Kevin let the subject drop, though he did sense his mother was withholding something more. Normally he would have spoken, but the tears in his mother's eyes as she looked at the fragile page held his tongue.

"I will avenge his death, mother."

The woman laughed shakily, her hand now weaved in her son's hair. "Your father already did. It was his wedding gift to me."

Kevin ducked his head as he tried not to laugh. "Father always knew how to woo a woman."

"That he did. And let me tell you, child, I was not an easy catch."

"Really?"

She laughed. "Yes. I made him work for my hand. As any good woman would."

Kevin chuckled at this. "So women who fall over me because of my status don't count as good woman?"

His mother's eyebrows disappeared into her thick curls. "What woman are falling over you? You can hardly even talk to them!"

"Mother!"

"Take this book and off you go," she shoved the boy towards the door playfully. "Go and learn. Raise that status of yours so women will fall over you in about twenty years."

"Mother!" Kevin chuckled, but he did hurry out the door.

He was still laughing as he sauntered into the library and plopped down by a large window.

"Crazy lady," he commented as he got comfortable. "No wonder Joe turned out the way he did."

"I can hear you, Kev," came Joe's voice as he walked passed. "At least I don't have to study dead peoples' names."

"No," Kevin commented, "You just have to be the one to kill them."

Joe nodded once, a look of both disgust and sick excitement on his face. "I get the fun job."

Kevin snorted. "And I the important one."

"Ouch," Joe said, hand on his heart. "Go study."

"And you go train."

Joe shook his head, though a small smile was on his face. "At least I'll have fun."

"By the way, Joe!" the older brother called when Joe disappeared from the doorway. "Nick should be starting with a sword today. Help him out. Don't do what you usually do."

Joe stuck his head back into the opening. "No promises."

**{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}**

**Chibiyu: **_A bit short, but next chapter should be filled with excitement. Meaning it is the start to our tale. Until next update!_

_Si: yes. _

_Incredibile: unbelievable, incredible. _

_Mio Dio: my God. _

_Bambino mio: my child. _


	7. Requiescat in Pace

**_Requiescat in Pace_**

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****Nick's eyes traced the figure of the spiked specter in front of him. Although he knew exactly what he was seeing, he couldn't bring himself to accept it. He tried to ignore the evidence that was dried by his knees or the stench of murder by looking at what wasn't as disturbing; the deep scar that stretched across what used to be an eye. But this led Nick to another sight: a bloodied carving upon the man's brow. It was an odd sort of symbol, an 'A' with pointed sides.

But it was something Nick had seen before on the living and in his studies.

"Monster," Nick breathed as he tried to turn away. "To kill a man in such a way and then to dishonor what is left of his corpse," he paused as he tried to take a breath. "Mio Dio. Is there no end to this madness?"

With his head angled away and eyes closed, Nick made a cross over his heart. "Requiescat in pace," Nick whispered. "Assassino."

With this said, the young boy gathered his wits and stood on numb legs. He took a long breath before he managed to turn his back on the corpse.

"Mario," he whispered to himself, thoughts suddenly back on the name that had been carved on the table. "Mario Auditore. Giovanni Auditore. Ezio Auditore."

He made his way back to the table and leaned heavily upon it. "Mio Dio," he managed to breathe as the truth hit him hard.

"My mother, an Assassin?" Nick looked around him, to the faint red trail of footprints he had been following, to the golden glow of Mario Auditore in the corner.

"Well," the child laughed weakly. "That explains a lot. But it doesn't explain how mother is alive. How she is married to such an important Templar power. How she kept it from all of us."

Nick's eyes strayed once again to the red path. He nodded to himself, not even considering the consequences as he followed to the path further into the pit that served as Mario Auditore's grave.

His wandering fingers traced the cobweb coated stone were the only indication he was given of the plaques on the walls. They told him hideous stories of murder and the pride these men took in the actions. It told of the Templar, or Latin Code. It told him of their scandals in the Crusades, of their power-seeking antics and of what his brothers were going to become.

But it told another story. A story of those who were resisting the Templar way. Who rebelled against the true power. Who sank to their knees in acts of weakness.

_It was a sight to behold. The young Assassin sank to his knees when my sword met the neck of his sister. He begged for her life to be spared. I let the girl go when he was in chains, but she didn't even make it to a run. I have yet to see another man cry as he did. Or bleed as his neck did. _

_Hell welcomes them both. _

Nick's fist slammed against the brick when he read the name of the author. "Cesare," he hissed. "Your head shall rest next to Mario's."

**{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}**

"Where is that child?"

Joe rocked on the balls of his feet as his master watched the scene. "I can go find him," the boy volunteered, but his kindness was dismissed by a laugh.

"If Michletto Corella had failed me as badly as that brother of yours continues to fail you family, then he would not lived to see my face."

Joe forced himself to laugh though the bile from the memory of this story was still freshly burning in his throat.

"But no! Cesare Borgia shall never be failed. And do you know why?"

Joe remained silent, for he knew his master was not looking for an answer.

" Because I will lead mankind into a new world! You cannot kill me! No man can murder me!"

Joe resisted to roll his eyes at this.

"But my new pupil, we Templar do not live in failure, we fight for success! So you shall fight to avenge your brother's failure!"With a flourished hand, the Templar grabbed the reigns of his horse from the stable boy behind him. "Today we learn to fight on horseback! It gives an advantage of speed, power and height! Always go for a horse if your target runs on foot. You'll have his head on the ground in an instant."

Joe nodded. "My previous instructor," he looked to the scholar with a smile. "Taught us the basics, but we have yet to go in depth as Nicholas only just finished his riding lessons."

"Yes, and I would prefer it if Nicholas were here to learn this as well. We cannot have him falling behind."

Cesare answered by drawing his sword. "Then the child should have made an appearance. Joseph, on your steed!"

"Yes, sir." Joe wasted no time mounting his horse and drawing his weapon.

"En garde!"

As Joe met the blades of his new master and his old instructor, Kevin was still hard at work.

He was bent over the book, his father's ancestry long since memorized, the names of the dead Assassins filed away, and the current ones were pushed to the side.

"If mother had a sick brother," he mused quietly. "Then there is a chance that the disease runs in our families veins. Perhaps this explain Nicholas's slight madness."

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "But is this a useless pursuit? Mother would have had any evidence erased like she did with her brother, Giovanni."

"Wait," Kevin breathed as he reached for a discarded page. "Giovanni?"

His eyes widened at the slightly smudged name on his mother's family tree. "No, it can't be. Mother wouldn't, no couldn't, lie to Father about this. He would see right through her."

Kevin bit the inside of his lip as he continued to stare at the name. "Mother told me she had a portrait of him," he reassured himself. "That will prove to me that he won't match the sketch in this book. That he isn't an Auditore."

Kevin nodded to himself as he stood. "What was I even thinking? Mother, an Assassin? Ridiculous!" When the boy reached the hall, his eyes drifted to the rafters. "But Nicholas..."

"No," he repeated again. "The portrait will tell me otherwise." He laughed to himself. "Maybe _I _am the one who is sick in the head, not Nicholas!"

He quickly reached his parents suite. "Okay," he smiled to himself as he slowly approached his mother's locked bedside drawer. "Let's put this nonsense to rest."

**{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}**

"So it's like this," Nick muttered to himself as he pulled the lever for the third time. He bolted to the ledge and jumped skillfully across four poles which jutted out of the sewer water below him. The child launched himself in the air and just barely managed to grab a pole a few feet above him. He swung forward with all his might and landed on a broken column. With a pounding heart to match the steady ticking coming from the time counter above his head, he skipped over the top of another column and landed shakily onto a wooden platform.

"Come on, faster!" he pushed himself as he ran and leapt over five beams.

He landed hard and let out a gasp of slight pain, but he couldn't stop. Not when he was so close.

He skid around the corner, the slowing closing door coming to view. He pushed himself as fast as he could go, leapt across the final jump and grabbed the rope swing.

In mid swing, he was hit with a realization: running wouldn't get him there.

He took a breath as he let go and landed awkwardly, but it did the trick. His feet slid out from under him, but his momentum propelled him forward. He slid under the door flawlessly. He wasn't even on his feet when the giant mechanism clanked loudly and the door dropped loudly behind him.

"Finally," Nick stated tiredly as he just took a second to lay on his back. "I should have figured this out before I hit the lever the first time. Lesson learned."

He slowly peeled himself off of the dirty floor. "I guess this explains how no one found their way into our house."

"Wait, this isn't just another way out of the house," he whispered with a trembling voice. "It's a torture chamber."

If the sight wasn't enough to make the child pass out from fear, the stench nearly was. He was surrounded by stains of massacre. Directly in his sight was a corpse of unknown gender, half decayed. It was tied on a long board. It's legs were hanging uselessly, detached from the torso, and arms were attached by dried muscle tissue. It's head rested on its shoulder, jaw still clenched in what had to have been pain.

Another body was tied to the wall, heels trapped in an iron contraption that had obviously tightened to the point where the bone had been crushed.

The last body that Nick allowed himself to see was clearly a woman. Her long hair floated around her face as if frozen in time. Her eye sockets stared emptily at the child, as if warning him to turn back. He body that was submerged in the water was covered in horrible blisters.

"Oh mio Dio! he shakily yelled as rapidly looked to his feet. Nick covered his nose as he slowly followed the clean section of floor to the door. But before he pushed it open, he turned around. He had to know.

He took a breath and closed his eyes to concentrate. It took a moment, but the pain came back. It had lessened to a dull ache since his first encounter with this newfound ability, but Nick's eyes still watered harshly. And when he opened his eyes, he found exactly what he thought he would. Red footprints of Templars surrounding the slight blue glow of the Assassin corpses.

"The guilty and the innocent?" Nick questioned the colors, but he did not want to stay in this room to find out if this assumption was correct. He ducked out of the room faster than he had entered.

The next room was a smaller chamber, and although the stench was still prevalent, the traces of murder were once again gone. It looked like a treasure room. A room that had long since been looted by whoever the red prints belonged to. There was nothing but empty chests, dusts, broken sculptures and faceless paintings.

"There has to be exit!"

Nick spun around, eyes falling on a false wall that was invisible to normal eyes.. "Alright, now how does this open?" The child smiled to himself as he spotted the only statue with a head. "Too easy," he whispered, though thankful for the break. He carefully lifted the head off the neck and revealed a lever.

He pushed it and wasted no time to get through the secret exit.

"That's enough adventure for one night," Nick tried to laugh as sunlight became visible. At the end of a tunnel was a wall that gave way when he nudged it with his shoulder. "How am I going to hide this from my family?"

"You won't have to worry about that, bambino mio."

Nick jumped, heart skipping a beat at the voice of his mother. "Mom, wha-what are you doing here?!"

His mother shook her head sadly at the boy. It was then when Nick noticed more.

"And you have your horse. And supplies. And Sognatore," at the sound of his name, Nick's pony walked over to him and nuzzled his cheek. "What happened?"

HIs mother looked to him with hard, but sad eyes. "We're leaving, Nicholas."

"Why?"

She shook her head. "Get on Tore, quickly. Your brother is close to finding the truth. And know that you know it," she paused to wait for the child to mount his pony. "It is too dangerous for you to stay here."

"You're coming with me?"

She nodded. "Your father will make sure I am executed for withholding my ancestry. And a boy needs his mother, especially when that boy needs an Assassin mentor."

Nick stared at her for a moment. "So that is what I am? An Assassin?"

"I told you before, Nicholas, you are who you choose to be. You can come with me, or you can stay here and continue this life. I will not stop you."

Nick looked to the open streets of Roma and then back to where he knew his home to be. "Guards following my every move," he thought aloud. "Or freedom to be what I want to be."

He smiled to his mother and nodded once. "Let's go, before they find us."

"Then let us ride, my little Assassin."

**{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}**

**Chibiyu: **_To understand exactly what Nick found in the beginning of this chapter, you need to be up to date on Mario Auditore's death and what was done to him. If you don't know, just PM me or ask in a review and I will be happy to fill you in. It's gruesome, though. You've been warned. Until next update! _

_Requiescat in pace_ (_Assassino): Rest in peace (Assassin). _

_Mio Dio: my God. _

_Bambino mio: my child._

_Pony = Sognatore (Tore - nickname): Daydreamer. _


	8. Everything is Permitted

**_Everything is Permitted_**

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"They'll never let us leave the without an escort," Nick told his mother as they led their horse through the crowded streets. "They're watching us now."

His mother glanced behind her and smiled to a guard that was patrolling close by.

"Of course they are," she told him, voice carefully sweet. "It is their duty."

Nick nodded, unconvinced that his mother had an actual plan of escape. "Yes, it is," he slowly agreed. "So how is that duty broken?"

His mother shook her head. "It never is. Such courage and strength could never be bested."

As she said this, Nick's eyes followed the backs of the passing guards. Their hands were lax as they rested on the hilt of their weapons. Word had yet to reach them. They still had time to escape.

"When we hit the district border," his mother spoke quietly. "There will be resistance. Let me do the talking. They will listen to me."

Nick instantly let his horse's lead go slack at this. Listen to a woman? She may be of power but the guards took orders from no one but his father. They would not get through.

"Or," Nick inserted as they entered an empty alley. "I do this." He stood and grabbed a sign pole above him.

He was deaf to his mother's protests as he quickly scaled the building. "After all," he whispered to himself as he looked to the cities horizon. "I have a white hood who owes me a favor."

"Meet me by the Mercenary faction building. I'll be back soon," he called to his mother before he raced away.

He was lucky the thieves were never quiet during the day. The clink of their coins and their drunken laughter was enough to scout them out within seconds.

"It's our little racer!" one of them laughed as he held up his hand in greeting. "What brings you out during the day, son?"

Nick wasted no time with greetings. "I need to find an Assassin. I know you help them."

"And why would we help you? The son of a Templar?"

Nick, though this did faze him considerably, did not back down. "I saved one of them two nights ago. I need a favor; a way for my mother and I to get out of this city."

The thieves only scratched their chins and exchanged a few looks.

"Her brother, my uncle, was Giovanni Auditore."

That had the thieves racing off. The one who spoke to Nick gestured for him to follow. And the child did so without question.

"The best place to find your Assassin is at their headquarters," the man told him as soon as the thieves stopped their run. "There are multiple entrances, but they won't open a door to a young boy like yourself. You know how to swim?

Nick nodded.

"When you get there, tell them your heritage when they question you. Do not push them."

Another nod.

"And make sure you treat them with respect!"

Nick smirked at this for respect was something he seemed to lack in the face of the Templar Order.

"It is there, under the small arch."

Nick squinted his eyes over the harshly reflecting river and was just able to make out the small stone arch built into the hill.

"Go now, child."

Nick skipped over a few ledges until he met the last one. He peered over his shoulder and gained and approving nod from the man before he led his group away. The child took a slow breath before he launched himself into the river. He dove in neatly, trying to eliminate any sound and splash so the guards would not be alerted.

He surfaced, but try as he may, he couldn't drown the sudden onslaught of fear. But he couldn't turn back. So with sopping clothes and wide eyes, he dove and let the rapids push him into the stronghold of, what he was taught, his enemy.

He pulled himself through a small hatch door and dropped into an empty hall. It had a long stairwell that led to what he was afraid of. He pushed his soaked hair form his eyes and took another long breath. This was it. He can't mess this up. His mother's life and his own depended on it.

His first step echoed, but the loud shouting below covered the noise.

"We locked the doors and we're tracking the family, but the youngest son and his mother are gone. We haven't found them yet."

Nick pushed himself forward at this familiar voice.

"He won't be pleased when he hears this."

Nick heard a shuffling of robes as he neared the lit hall. "No," the Assassin he knew spoke. "He won't be, but he understands complications. He knows that the Templars are tricky."

"That is something we both understand," Nick boldly stated as he entered the room. He figured a brave face would save him better than a shivering fool.

The four gathered Assassins jumped at the sight of the young boy.

"How did you find this place?" an Assassin yelled as he swiped at Nick's collar, intending to pull him up to the man's eye level.

However Nick ducked under his hand and moved out of the way of that man and closer to the Assassin he knew.

"I found this place because I know who to ask," he told him bravely. "Because my uncle is, was, Giovanni Auditore."

The silence did not last long.

"We cannot trust the word of a child!"

"He must be lying."

"That name died a long time ago."

The Assassin Nick knew put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "We can trust this one."

"Maurizo," the one who grabbed Nick started, but he was cut off by a simple raise of a hand.

"This boy is the one who races with the thieves. He is the one who sabotaged the soldiers ambush. He saved my life."

Two of them uncrossed their arms, but the one who tried to grab Nick shook his head.

"Anyone can rebel against the soldiers. And it is a childish mistake to interfere in matters that do not concern him."

Maurizo smiled at this. "Then explain how he executed a perfect Leap of Faith?"

Silence.

"Only someone who trusts as we trust, who knows what we know and who sees as we do can survive the leap."

No one spoke up.

"Only a person with Assassin blood can do it. The hawks even cried as he jumped. Come now, Basilio, isn't that proof enough?"

The Assassin who attacked him, Basilio, shuffled. "One more test." The man knelt down before Nick and showed his dark brown eyes and scarred brow. "What color are we?"

Anyone else would have said white, like their robes. But Nick knew otherwise. He looked at each of them with a small smile.

"Blue," he said clearly and confidently. "You're all blue."

**{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}**

It took her a few minutes to successfully navigate the horses through the crows without drawing the guards' attention, but she had done it. Now Sandra Lucas stood with a hood covering her noticeable hair in front of the Mercenary Faction building.

The men looked at her, but did not stare; they knew the look of a person who does not want to be noticed. But all eyes did stare at a pigeon with a small note attached to its foot.

As soon as the note was read, many eyes fell on Sandra. She kept her posture though her skin crawled under their gazes. They soon filed into the faction building, which did nothing for the woman's nerves.

She flinched horribly when a body landed next to her, her hand over her pounding heart.

"Come on, Mom," Nick smiled to her as he mounted his pony. "I found us a way out of the city."

"Where?" the poor woman shakily asked. She was slow to mount her horse due to her nervous hands, but she managed alright.

Nick took a breath at this question as he nodded to the Mercenaries as they gathered near their horses. "The front gate." Seeing as his mother was about to protest, Nick held up his hand. "Just trust me."

"But how will we get there without the guards following?"

Nick nodded his head towards the opening doors of the building. "That's how."

Four Mercenaries flanked them, all donning stolen armor. Now to any passerby, two members of the richest family in the city were out on a nice stroll around the city wall with their personal guards.

"This doesn't explain how we will get through the gate. You know they will be checked."

Nick nodded once. "Si, that would _normally_ be the procedure."

His mother prompted her horse to take the lead as she shot her son an inquisitive look. "What are you planning?"

"Qualcosa di brillante."

"Not even a hint?"

Nick shook his head. "It can't be overheard."

His mother smiled at this. "So you _did_ learn something from your previous masters."

Nick allowed a smile to slip through his nerves."My head is only thick when the message is idiota."

They remained silent for the rest of the ride. Nick tried his best to keep his body language happy and curious as he took in the monumental structures of the city. His mother kept a watchful eye on both her son and the men disguised as their guards. One mistake could ruin everything.

But her paranoia was not needed; every guard and patrol they passed only nodded their heads in respect and cleared the way.

"Here we go," Nick breathed as the exit to Roma came into view. The child glanced to his mother and saw how pale her knuckles were as she strangled her horse's lead. "Are you ready?"

She nodded, jaw set.

"Will you be okay," Nick asked sincerely. "Without saying goodbye to them?"

Sandra sighed heavily, her eyes falling. "No, even if their allegiance lies with the ones who murdered my family." She lifted her head and smiled to her youngest son. "But if this will save you, save our heritage and bloodline, then I will push passed the pain."

"I am sorry, Mother."

She shook her head. "Don't be. It is my job to protect you. And I am afraid that it is too late for your brothers. To lead the life of a Templar is to lead the life of the truth."

Nick looked over curiously at this.

""Laa shay'a waqi'un mutlaq bale kouloun moumkin."

"Nothing is true," Nick whispered, in awe of the power behind these words. "Everything is permitted." With this ringing in his mind, Nick set his eyes on the heavily guarded entrance, hand resting easily on his throwing daggers. He took a breath, looked to the mercenaries, who gripped their weapons tightly, and to his mother. She nodded once to him.

They would start when he did. He wouldn't see them, but they would be there. All he had to do was have faith.

He closed his eyes and took a final calming breath/ When he opened them, the world was filled with dark shadows and figures glowing in the color of foe and ally. Red surrounded the faint golden glow of his escape, blue stood next to him with confidence and blue would soon line the rooftops and streets.

"Requiescat in pace," the child said to no one as his knife left his hand.

When the knife Maurizo had given him buried itself in the unprotected throat of the middle mast guard, all hell broke loose.

"ASSASSINO!" a guard shouted as the others bolted towards Nicholas and his mother.

"Get them out of here!" two yelled to the mercenaries, who nodded once to each other. They moved as if to lead the horses away, but they instead turned and jabbed their weapons into the guts of the Templar guards when they got too close.

"A trick!" another shouted. "Save the woman and child!"

Nick had to hold back from throwing another knife when the guards tried to converge on them. He couldn't let his cover be blown. Not yet. So he sat on a nervous pony, heart pounding, as he waited for the attack. It had to be soon. It _had _to be.

The first guard was allowed to touch Tore before an arrow entered his back. At the fall of his body, Tore yelped, which gave Nick the perfect moment to spur him onwards in a moment of false lost control. Nick glanced behind him to see his mother was close behind, careful to not overtake the pony.

"An ambush!"

"Merda!"

Arrows rained from the sky, narrowly missing the boy and his mother, and many white hoods swarmed the streets. But the distraction was working – they were almost out of the city.

"Close the gate!"

Nick's head snapped over to the lever, eyes narrowing as it now glowed gold. A red figure was rapidly turning the wheel as a blue figure closed in on him. But he wouldn't stop him in time. Not with the gate already halfway down.

So Nick did the one thing he could do. He aimed, he threw and he killed.

The blue man had been inches away from the now dead guard. He looked shocked that he had been missed. Even more shocked that the child he was helping had almost killed him. But he didn't. The child didn't miss. He only made it look like he had.

"Don't let them leave the city!"

It was too late, though. Nick had easily passed under and his mother had ducked down, not far behind. And the pair were pushing their horses harder as Maurizo and Basilio took the lead and the rear. They raced up the winding path, the wind deafening the shouts of their pursuers.

"Don't let them escape! We _must _save the mistress!"

Nick rolled his eyes when they failed to mention saving him. He glanced behind him to glare at their pursuers, only to find a small army after them. Basilo was close to being overrun, even with his backup shooting crossbow bolts from hidden areas. One soldier would fall, but another would fill the gap just as quickly.

He slowed Sognatore up to meet Basilo and nodded off to a side alley. Basilo pursed his lips at this, for the plan made sense but that would mean a single Assassin and a child against half of an army.

But before he could make his decision, Nick threw his reigns to his mother, who had stayed by his side, and fearlessly stood on his saddle. He grabbed a low hanging branch and pulled himself up. Basilo had no choice but to do the same. As soon as the white hood had pulled himself up, he heard the air being cut as a blade flew dangerously close to his face.

A horse let out a terrible scream before a loud thud silence it. Guards yelled as their horses failed to jump over the corpse and were sent tumbling to the ground.

However, Basilo had no time to watch it happen. The child had already sped off along the branch and dropped below to follow the off-pass. And he had to do the same. They ran down the abandoned guard path and passed a rickety old watch tower. Nick stared the rope, the one thing, that kept the tower attached to the side of the gorge.

As soon as the first shout to pursue was heard, Basillo had to duck under another knife. But this time, he watched the blade slice cleanly through the rope and clang against the rock wall. He didn't have time to watch the tower fall on the guards and block their path, for the had to race against the clock to not be crushed himself.

"That could have killed me!" the Assassin panted when he finally caught up to the kid.

"But it didn't," Nick pointed out. "And it won't stop them. We need to find someplace to hide!"

Basilo sneered at this, clearly unimpressed. "Didn't think about that before you ran off?"

Nick shot the man a glare. "I did. That's why I picked this path instead of the one further ahead."

"Then you should know about the guard camp that is down this way?"

Nick nodded once.

"Then you'll know that we won't make it!"

Nick slowed to a stop as the smell of smoke tainted the air. He turned and faced the man, breathing hard, but with anger in his eyes. "Am I blue or am I red?"

Basilo clenched his jaw, but said no more.

"We don't need to get through it without being seen," Nick whispered as they snuck passed the first tent. "They'll forget about us soon enough."

Basilo's eyes narrowed at this. "What do you plan on doing?"

Nick pointed to the guard who was lighting the signal fires. "Tell me, Basilo," the child said coldly. "How dry has this season been?"

The Assassin smiled. "Insane," he smiled. "But brilliant."

They both crouched in the shadow of a tent, Basilo fumbling to attach dried grass to a bolt and Nick clenching one of his knives. Basilo then pulled a small vial from his pouch and poured it all on the arrow.

"A doctor's poison has many purposes," he explained to Nick's curious gaze. "Find us an escape route," the Assassin ordered as the guard began to struggle to light the fire. "Something quick."

Nick immediately nodded and scanned the area. His eyes landed on a cliff with a wooden outcropping. Birds flocked around it. With hay in their beaks.

"Found it," Nick breathed. "Ready when you are."

Basilo let out a breath. The fire jumped up and the bolt was released. It missed the guard, whose back was turned to the attack and imbedded itself deep into a working guard tower. The small flame greedily jumped onto the old wood and ate the Borgia flag.

"Fuoco!" they screamed a little too late.

"Go!" Basilo pushed Nick into the sun. "I will follow!"

The child ran to the cliff, ignoring the shouts of the guards as they saw the Assassin behind him. He bound confidently onto the wooden perch and he leapt, arms wide to keep him steady in the wind.

"Suicide?!" a guard near them shouted when he saw the two jump. "Send a search party to retrieve their bodies!"

In mid fall, Nick had to smile. The guards would be clueless when they found the lack of bodies. They would be punished for letting an Assassin escape with him. They would forever be bound by the truth set upon their mind by the Templar. And they would never experience the joy of conquering the impossible.

Because for the Assassins, for Nicholas, nothing was true. Everything is permitted.

**{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}**

**Chibiyu: **_And so our little story begins. I don't normally advertise my stories, but I am writing a How to Train Your Dragon fic called Leita Valhalla (Searching for Valhalla in Old Norse). If you're a fan, check it out! It is the last story I will write on fanfic. Until Next Update! _

_Qualcosa di brillante: Something brilliant. _

_Idiota: idiotic. _

_Laa shay'a waqi'un mutlaq bale kouloun moumkin: Nothing is true, everything is permitted (in Arabic).  
―The Assassins' Creed Wikia. _

_Requiescat in pace: rest in peace. _

_Merda: Sh*t. _

_Fuoco!: fire_


	9. Countless Reasons

**_Countless Reasons_**

**{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}**

**1505**

"Bene, but keep your knees loose. A warrior must bend like a reed, not stand like a brick wall. Now, again!"

Sweat poured from his brow and down his tanned skin. His back muscles contracted and tightened as he blocked the stab from his master. A determined snarl tarnished the pride from the short compliment and furrowed his brow. He jumped back to avoid a harsh slash, but he had the shorter blade. He took two quick steps to close the distance, parried his master's sword and twisted away from his rapidly rising knee.

His eye's flicked from his master's sword as it fell back to his side and his empty hand rose threateningly.

A smirk broke through his snarl. He was quick to hook his arm around his master's and force his empty hand down, rendering the lethal hidden blade useless for the time being. They both were quick to force some distance between them in order to catch a breath.

"Adapting to the slightest of threat," his master breathed with a smile. "I am glad that yesterday's lesson wasn't wasted. But what of today? Again!"

It was the pupil who charged the master this time around. If he wanted to fight something inhuman, then he would try to shed his humanity.

Although he was the first to charge, his master was the first to raise his blade. The pupil saw the attack and measured the quick momentum of trajectory. He bent back, the sword skimming over his skin. He could have blocked, but that was expected. He could have stood and let his head become separate from his body, but he was not one to quit. As the sword passed over his right shoulder, he sprung back up, his steel aimed at his master's unprotected sword arm.

With a flick of his wrist, the flat of the blade slapped against his master's armored arm. The man grunted in pain and retracted his arm in reflex. But his other hand was already closing in on the pupil. With his sword out of position, the master had taken the opening.

But the hidden blade met the trademark throwing knife of his pupil. Both fought to gain the advantage, old and young, but both were equally matched in strength.

"One cannot forget," the pupil nearly laughed during the struggle. "What bends back will always come forward again."

The master smiled at this. "And smacks it's assailant in the face."

Both spun away from each other, breathing hard.

"Bene," the master said again. "Strength alone cannot win a fight. Brutes may look unbeatable, but strategy and speed can undo any armor. Remember that, Nicholas."

"Si, uncle," Nick bowed in respect before he sheathed his sword. "But you know I do not go after the guards."

Ezio Auditore frowned at this. "Nicholas, the Templar are a threat to us. They tore apart our family and murdered many members of it without a second thought."

"That is why you fight them, uncle," Nick contradicted. "That is why Mother and I fled from Roma seven years ago. We have no reason to fight; the past is the past for us."

Ezio pointed to his nephew with a frown. "You are an Assassin, Nicholas. You fight for what is right."

Nick nodded at this. "I fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. But until the Templar give me a reason to pursue them as you do, I will continue to build alliances for your cause and help the citizens. But nothing more."

"Questo non me calza."

"It is my choice to make, Uncle. If it displeases you, then it displeases you. But I will never dishonor you or our name of Auditore."

Ezio shook his head at this. "You mean well, but you need to learn your place. One does not fight with his master and expect an easy escape."

Nick crossed his arms at his. "I asked for no escape, only acceptance to our differences."

"Then you will not assist me in the attack of Micheletto Corella's force?"

Nick blinked at this. "I didn't know the invitation had been extended."

"Will you or will you not fight alongside me?"

The 17 year old looked to his feet. Micheletto was a murderer. He was Cesare's right-hand man. He was dangerous and sick in the head. He was not someone who should be allowed on the streets with women. He was someone who slept with his knife and always woke to a pool of blood.

"I will. But not for the reason you fight, but for the vengeance of all he had wronged."

Ezio put his hand on his nephew's shoulder. "Spoken like a true Assassin. Now, before we part ways for the night, I want you to recite the Creed."

Nick nodded once. "Laddove altri seguono ciecamente la verità, ricorda: nulla è reale. Laddove altri sono limitati dalla morale e dalle leggi, ricorda: tutto è lecito. Agiamo nell'ombra per servire la luce. Siamo Assassini."

Where other just blindly follow the truth, remember: nothing is real. Where others are restricted by the moral laws and, remember: everything is lawful. We act in the shadow to serve the light. We are Assassins.

"Never forget the Creed," Ezio gravely warned. "Without our faith within it, we are nothing more than the Templar."

"I won't forget, Uncle," Nick promised. "My faith will never fall with the Templar."

"Why?"

Nick shook his head at this pointless question. "There are countless reasons. They do not protect; they only act in favor of their greed. They want complete control and power and they do not care who they walk over to get it. They are blind because they cannot see that the truth given to them is a lie."

"And yet those are not enough reasons for you to fight as I do?"

Nick shook his head. "I fight for the citizens, not for vengeance," he repeated without any heat. "A better future; that is why I follow the Creed."

"A better future?"

Nick nodded. "I do not wish to see the world reflect what was my, and my brothers, childhood. We had no freedom. No choice. It was follow orders or have your back stripped of skin."

HIs uncle turned away at this, his silence demonstrating his respect for this answer. His goodbye was this: "Meet in the stables at sunset. We'll ride to reach Zangarolo."

Nick didn't even bother to acknowledge this statement as his uncle left their training circle.

"Are you sure that this is a good idea?"

The young man looked over to the worried wrinkles around his mother's furrowed eyes.

"Firenze has been good to us. We've been protected and blessed with many a fortune. You do not need to storm off into this battle."

"This isn't just a battle, mother," Nick tried to reason with her. "This is a big step to helping uncle and the citizens of Roma. If Micheletto Corella is not stopped, then Cesare Borgia cannot be stopped. His influence will stretch all over Italia. The Templar influence is the reason we left home. If we do not stop it, then..."

"We will continue running from it," his mother finished with a sigh. "But you do not fight the Templar like Ezio does."

"That is correct," Nick nodded. "But I fight for the spread of freedom and justice. Besides, mother, I would have thought you'd be excited to see the one who murdered your brother to be stopped."

This was answered with another sigh. "I may have the blood of an Assassin, but I will never find joy in the message of violence for peace."

"Sometimes," Nick said as he turned his back to his mother. "Violence is the only answer. If done correctly, we can stop the future struggle the Templar will bring to the entire world. And stopping Micheletto is a big step in that process. You can't stop me from helping Uncle."

"I know, bambino mio," she whispered, something that had Nick stop in his tracks. "But being so close to Roma, I have to worry."

Nick turned back to her, face soft. "Even if I do run into them," he carefully started. "I would never recognize them. And they would never be able to identify me. It's been seven years. I was just a boy when they learned of our kidnapping. Besides, mother, to them I am dead. Jumped from a height in order to take down my assailant."

"But your bodies were never found."

Nick nodded. "The Templar believe that Ezio got to our bodies first. To them, I am dead. They will never suspect to meet me on the battlefield. They won't even be looking under our hoods."

"Only a courage will not look into the eyes of the man he is murdering," his mother coldly stated. "And it is their worst tactic for war."

Nick smiled at this. "The eye tells all," he agreed. "And that is how I will remain safe, mother."

"There is nothing I can say to stop you?"

Nick shook his head.

"Then please stay by Ezio, Maurizo, or Basilo."

Nick nodded once. "I will, mother. I promise."

She put her hand on her son's cheek and smiled. "You have come so far, Nicholas," she praised. "I am proud to have you as a son."

Nick smiled at this. "And I am proud to have you as a mother."

"Be safe," she kissed his forehead before she took a step back. "I will ready your supplies.

Nick watched her retreat before he headed back into their house. He stared at Ezio's temporary office, the room which used to belong to Giovanni Auditore. The room where Nicholas was given Ezio's first Assassin robes. The room where his heritage, loyalty and strength had been tested. He still shuddered at the memory of a knife hovering over his left hand, asking for a sacrifice. He flexed his fingers, still thankful that he had stood strong and learned that, thanks to Leonardo Devinci, he need not lose a finger.

He headed into what had been Frederico Auditore's room and collapsed on the bed. He picked up the hidden blade from his nightstand and ran his fingers over the grooved metal of the brace. It was finally going to lose its luster, he fathomed as the blade popped out. It was finally going to rust with the blood of the Templar.

And he was finally going to live up to his uncle's expectation. It was not a life either of them chose, but rather it was the path fate had chosen for them. Nick shook his head. A path meant for murder? That was the path the lazy took. The path of an Assassin, this was the hardest road to follow.

**{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}**

"They should be position as such," Kevin pointed to the map of Zagarolo. "Guards patrolling and at every entrance. Have your men watch the rooftops and waterways as well. No Assassin must be allowed to enter."

"And what are they after?"

Kevin looked to his younger brother, his mouth a straight line. "Corella. If they manage to get him, who knows what could happen to the Templar."

Joe nodded, hand going to rest on the hilt of his sword. "Then assign me to protect him. I will lay my life down for Borgia's assistant."

Kevin looked him over. "You know you'll need Cesare's approval, not mine."

Joe rolled his eyes at this. "I shouldn't need approval to protect."

"Why do you complain?" Kevin asked, voice bored. "You've been given everything; the best training, the best experiences and the perfect future. Are you willing to toss it away as easily as our brother did?"

Joe looked to his feet at this. "He killed an Assassin during his death. That gives him honor."

Kevin seemed to find this amusing. "There is no honor in his death, Joseph. He abandoned mother in order to protect himself. You heard the story: he ran and she stayed. there is no honor in that."

"Fine," Joe stiffly agreed. "Then tell me where Cesare is."

"Shouldn't his pupil know?"

Joe growled at this. "Shut up, Kevin. I'm not the in mood for your games."

Kevin's smile faded and he nodded respectively. "I am sorry, brother. I know it has been hard preparing for this war." Kevin eyed the newest bruise on Joe's face. "And Cesare hasn't been the easiest to learn under."

"Neither has father," Joe countered. "But this is what we've been preparing for. I understand their harsh behavior."

Kevin nodded. "As do I. The Assassin forces have been bothersome and taking out key people."

"Ezio Autiore," Joe spat the name as if it was a curse. "If we take out him, his entire group of Assassins will be easy targets. They are untrained civilians; the rebels whom we've been trying to silence."

Kevin sighed. "And your silencing has drawn his attention to them. It is because of our actions that the 'liberation of Roma has begun.' But you are correct – Ezio Auditore is our main target."

"How hard can it be to take down one bastardo?"

Kevin shook his head. "A thick skull will not help you. You know Auditore's skills as well as I do. You know what he is capable of."

Joe thought back to the guards he watched fall under the sword and blade of Ezio. "I do. But he has not yet seen the full potential of the Templar." Joe pulled out his knife and stabbed it into the center of Kevin's map. "He better be ready for us. We won't make this easy for him."

Kevin sighed as Joe stormed out of the room, no doubt to destroy a swordsman dummy.

"And he won't make it easy for us."

**{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}**

**Chibiyu: **_So you may have noticed the year at the beginning of the chapter. That is to connect to the game as well as help you all with the time jumps. There will only be one, maybe two more. As Nick said, this chapter is seven years after the previous. You'll learned what happened during those years in later chapters. Just like in the game play. Until Next Update! (I am in the process of moving so I am sorry for the delays!)_

_Questo non me calza: That does not please me._

_Laddove altri seguono ciecamente la verità, ricorda: nulla è reale. Laddove altri sono limitati dalla morale e dalle leggi, ricorda: tutto è lecito. Agiamo nell'ombra per servire la luce. Siamo Assassini: __Where other just blindly follow the truth, remember: nothing is real. Where others are restricted by the moral laws and, remember: everything is lawful. We act in the shadow to serve the light. We are Assassins._

_Zangarolo: a small city east of Rome that housed Micheletto Corella's 250 strong force. _

_Firenze: Florence. A city in Italy. More specifically, the city in which Ezio Auditore grew up and his father and brothers were murdered. The city were Ezio's entire story began._

_Italia: Italy_

_Bambino mio: my child._


End file.
